Settable strike mechanism



July 5, 1969 E. L.. scHLAGE ETAL 3,454,295v

SETTABLE STRIKE MECHANISM Sheet Filed Nov. 29,` 1966 INVENTOR5 7 M i t 6 M mr 4, La m W 5 Mm i/u. Y

July 8, 1969 Filed Nov. 29, 1966 E. L. scHLAGE ET AL 3,454,295

SETTABLE STRIKE MECHANI SM ora Sheet sa FIG. l0`- United States Patent O 3,454,295 SETTABLE STRIKE MECHANISM Ernest L. Schlage, Burlingame, and Lukas-Valentin Schmidt, San Mateo, Calif., assiguors to Schlage Lock Company, a corporation Filed Nov. 29, 1966, Ser. No. 597,755 Int. Cl. Eb 15/02 U.S. Cl. 292-341.18 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A settable strike mechanism for use with a latch bolt has a strike body formed from a sheet to define an outer face and an adjacent pocket as well as walls defining a channel depressed from said outer face. The pocket is partly defined by a chordal wall pierced by a lateral openmg adjacent the channel. A two-legged slide may pass through the lateral opening with one leg in the channel and the other leg beneath the channel. A bolt passes hrough a slot in the channel bottom and engages both egs.

Our invention relates to strike mechanisms of the sort useful in connection with lock sets on doors and door frames and of the kind generally disclosed in Patent 3,159,416 to E. L. Schlage issued Dec. 1, 1964.

In the customary swinging door installation, the latch bolt of the lock set on the door panel in approaching the door frame or jamb rides over a strike, usually inclined, which cams the latch vbolt inwardly and then permits it to spring back outwardly again when the door is in closed position, the strike bolt then occupying a position in a pocket behind the cam portion of the strike plate. The door movement is limited in one direction by a stop forming part of the door jamb or frame and in the other direction is limited by interengagement between the latch bolt and the margin of the strike pocket. A properly installed door panel affords ready entry of the latch bolt into the stripe opening without undue play. This proper relationship may be disturbed from time to time by wear, panel or frame warping, 'building shifting and the like. Lateral shifting in one direction produces excessive clearance and may permit rattling of the door panel by the wind or vibration, while lateral shifting in the other direction produces insufficient clearance and may even be so great as to preclude entry of the latch bolt into the vitrike opening and thus prevent proper latching of the oor.

It is therefore 'an object of the invention to provide a settable strike mechanism which can be manipulated to provide an initially proper setting of the strike with respect to the latch bolt and which can be set from time to time under changing conditions to preserve or maintain the desired conditions.

Another object of our invention is to provide a settable srike mechanism which can easily be adjusted by any workman without special instruction and with only ordinary tools.

A further object of the invention is to provide a settable strike mechanism in which the strike plate itself is anchored in an improved fashion to resist extra forces.

A further object of the invention is to provide a settable strike mechanism which can readily be interchanged with prior strike mechanisms of the sort, for example, yshown in the above-mentioned patent.

Another object of the invention is to provide a settable strike mechanism that can initially be installed wtih only moderate care and then can be precisely set with ease.

A further object is to provide in general an improved and settable strike mechanism.

Other objects together with the foregoing are attained 3,454,295 Patented July 8, 1969 ice in the embodiments of the invention described in the accompanying description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in `|which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation of one form of settable strike mechanism pursuant to the invention, asmounted;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevation of the structure of FIG- URE l, a portion of the mounting `being cut -away in transverse cross section;

FIGURE 3 is a cross section of the structure shown in FIGURE l, the plane of section being indicated by the line 3-3 in that figure;

FIGURE 4 is an obverse View of a strike body;

FIGURE 5 is a cross section on the plane of FIGURE 3 showing a slide in relaxed position;

FIGURE 6 is a cross section, the plane of which is indicated by the line 6-6 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 7 is a View comparable to FIGURE 1 but showing a modified form of settable strike mechanism;

FIGURE 8 is a cross section, the plane of which is indicated by the line 8 8 of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a cross section comparable to FIGURE 5 b ut showing a modified form of slide in relaxed position; and

FIGURE 10 is a view like FIGURE 3, with part broken away, and showing a modified form of slide construction.

In the customary installation the strike mechanism is mounted in a door frame 6 or jamb having a stop 7 thereon and adapted to receive a swinging door panel 8 from which a latch bolt 9 projects. The latch bolt has a bolt surface 11 and a beveled cam surface 12. It is normally spring projected but upon the exertion of a superior force can lbe depressed into the door panel 8 in the usual fashion.

The strike mechanism comprises a strike body 13. This is conveniently made of metal substantially uniform in thickness throughout and can readily be produced by stamping. The strike body has any convenient shape. Just as an example, one form has a generally circular envelope 14 defined by an at least partial, peripheral, down-turned flange 15 terminating in a plane 16. When the strike is installed, most of the edge of the flange 15 abuts the material of the door frame or jamb.

The strike body 13 is also formed with means for receiving a latch bolt. This can be simply an opening through the exposed face of the strike body affording access to a cavity for accommodating the projected latch bolt. Sometimes .a separate strike box is disposed in the cavity. In the present case the latch bolt opening and the strike box take the form of a pocket 17. The pocket is partially formed by a conoidal wall 18 extending from the outer planar face 19 of the strike body. The face 19 is parallel with the plane 16 and merges with the adjacent rim portion 15. It also merges smoothly with the conoidal wall 18. Not all of the wall 18 is conoidal since through merging walls 21 and 22 it continues into a chordal Wall 23.v Preferably, the chordal lwall is planar and is disposed substantially normal to the plane 16 and to the planar face 19. While the chordal wall 23, as a special case, can be located on a diameter of the circle defining the envelope 14, it is preferably offset from the diameter or center to the right, as seen in FIGURE 1, by an amount represented by the interval `between the wall and the face 11 of the latch bolt. The so-called chordal wall 23, although preferably and conveniently planar, is not necessarily of rectilinear configuration and can be curved or arcuate form. The pocket 17 is defined not only by the walls 18, 21, 22 and 23, but also by a bottom wall 26. Usually this is made flat and parallel to the face 19 although spaced a substantial distance from the face 19 and from the plane 16.

Means are provided for accommodating at least the pocket and preferably most of the strike body in the door frame or jamb. As particularly disclosed in the mentioned Schlage Patent 3,159,416, an easy way to make the installation is to bore in the door frame on a selected center a deep recess 31 of a diameter to take the pocket 17 and to bore a shallow recess 32 on the same center of a diameter to take the rim 1S. In the usual proportion of the parts, the deep recess and the shallow recess both break out through the side of the door frame. If this mode of installation is not desired, it is permissible to provide a mortise cavity to receive the pocket 17.

In either instance, the strike plate can be positioned, as indicated, with the chordal wall 23 substantially parallel to the side edge of the door frame. The plate is held in position by a pair of fastening screws 33 and 34 extended through comparable openings 36 and 37 in the wall 18. The walls adjacent the openings 36 and 37 are approximately conical to receive the conical heads of the fasteners 33 and 34. The openings are spaced a substantial, arcuate distance apart and are spaced at the same distance laterally from the chordal wall 23. Since the screws 33 and 34 diverge in entering the wood, they have an improved anchoring effect for the strike plate.

The strike body is preferably provided with a downturned lip portion 41 or cam amounting to an inclined plane merging with the rim and the planar portion 19 so that an active camming surface for the latch bolt is afforded.

Particularly pursuant to the invention, the portion of the strike body adjacent the lip 41, for convenience designated as a lip area 42, is symmetrically provided with a transversely extending channel 43. The material of the strike body is depressed to afford a channel bottom wall 44 and a pair of parallel side walls 45 and 46. At one end the sides merge with the chordal wall 23, and at the other end the sides merge with the inclined plane 41. The chordal wall 23 is provided with an opening 47 below the bottom face of the channel and the channel itself has its bounding lower wall 44 provided with a slot 48 merging with the opening 47. The reverse face of the strike body as part of and beneath the channel wall -44 is conveniently provided with a plurality of serrations or corrugations 51.

yDesigned to cooperate with the strike body is a slide S2. This conveniently is formed of a single strip of material, preferably metal or plastic and conveniently a low-friction material, the strip being bent upon itself to provide a pair of substantially parallel legs 53 and 54 merging at a straight end wall 56. The first leg 53 can be made separately from the second leg 54 but the end wall 56 is still provided. The distance between the integral slide legs when they are relaxed is slightly greater than the thickness of the channel bottom wall 44. The slide has an opening 58 through its upper leg to receive the head of a fastener 59, while the lower leg of the slide has an embossed opening `61 provided with threads to receive the threads y62 of the fastener. The upper surface of the lower leg 54 of the slide has a plurality of transversely extending serrations 63` complementing the serrations S1. Finally, the slide at the end of one leg has a beveled surface 64 at substantially the same angle as the inclined plane 41.

The slide `52 is assembled with the strike body 13 when the slide is in relaxed condition lby being introduced into the pocket 17 and then moved laterally until the serrations 63 underlie the serrations 51. The screw 59 is then positioned and is tightened. This movement of the screw draws the slide legs toward each other, whether they are integral or separate, and interlocks the serrations 63 with the serrations 51 so that the slide is immovable with regard to the strike body. The end wall 56 of the slide serves as a lateral abutment for the face 11 of the projected latch bolt. When the position of the slide end wall is set at the proper location, the latch bolt is readily received in the latch bolt opening and there is no substantial play or lateral movement possible between the door panel and the door frame.

If the initial relationship changes or is not correct, the user, by loosening the screw S9, permits the slide legs to move apart due to their inherent springiness or, if they are separate pieces, to be moved apart to disengage the serrations 63 from the serrations 51. He then moves the slide to or fro to the right location, the screw 59 moving within the slot 48 and the lower leg of the slide moving through the opening 47. In its new location the slide is again gripped in place by tightening of the screw 59. Since the end wall of the slide is substantially parallel with the greater portion of the side face 11 of the latch bolt, a good bearing is afforded to hold the parts in proper position. When the slide is moved entirely to the right, the end wall 56 of the slide then serves as a substantial continuation of the chordal wall 23 and affords maximum bearing area within the pocket 17 The bevel 64 on the slide then substantially continues the inclined plane 41.

If the slide 52 and the bevel 64 are made somewhat less in height and length than the surrounding parts of the strike body, the strike bolt in camming over the inclined surface 41 will straddle or bridge the slide portions and will avoid wearing contact therewith. If the slide and bevel are made higher than the strike body surface, wear on the strike body by the latch bolt is avoided. This latter is the usual construction with a plastic slide.

As a variation on this arrangement, there is provided, as shown in FIGURES 7 and 8, a similar device but one in which the strike body 71 is partly circular and has an extended lip 72 having a channel 73 bounded on opposite sides by the material of the body to form walls 74 and 76. The slide mechanism is virtually the same as before. The upper leg 77 of the slide 78 moves in the channel 73 between its extreme lateral positions. The remaining part of the structure is substantially as previously described. As may -be particularly. noted in FIGURE 8, the deep recess for reception of the strike body breaks out at the edge of the door jamb, but a trim or finish board 79 covers the breakout portion. If properly installed, the trim 79 serves as an additional support for the radially extended strike lip 72. In this configuration, a considerably augmented strike-engaging surface is provided on the strike body, but the settable feature is retained.

As a further variation in the structure, there can be provided a slide as shown in FIGURE 9. This is substantially as before except that the slide leg is not corrugated in multiple. Rather, the slide leg 82 opposite the slide leg 83 is offset and is provided with a return bend 84 having a ridged edge 86 designed to intert with the corrugations 87 in the strike body 71 or in the strike body 13. In this instance, the slide when relaxed is freely slidable with regard to the strike body, but when a fastener is engaged therewith and is tightened, the ridge 86 interts with adjacent corrugations and locks the parts in position.

In FIGURE 10 there is shown an arrangement like that in FIGURE 3 except that the serrations 91 or corrugations in the strike body 92 are engaged by a metal, serrated, rectangular nut plate 93 threaded to receive a fastener 94 and constituting the lower leg of a slide. The upper leg 96 is preferably of plastic thick enough to extend above the strike lbody 92 and beveled and rounded at one end. The leg 96 is countersunk to take the fastener head. At its other end, the leg 96 is turned to provide a straight end wall 97 lying in abutment with the end of the nut plate or lower leg 93. The plastic leg is supported against door rebound forces by the serrated plate 93, `which also provides strong screw threads for the fastener 94.

While circular strikes have been referred to herein, the adjustable slider can as well be applied to T-shaped or regular strikes, which can then be substituted for nonadjustable strikes already installed.

What is claimed is:

1. A settable strike mechanism for use with a latch bolt comprising a strike body having a bolt-receiving opening at least in part bounded by a chordal wall and having a lip area extending approximately normal to said chordal wall, means defining a slot in the lip area of said strike body and extending normal to said chordal wall, a slide having an end wall substantially parallel to said chordal wall and including legs provided with circular openings adapted to register with said slot, and means including a bolt disposed in said openings and passing through said slot for mounting said slide on said lip area for movement of said end wall toward and away from said chordal Wall.

2. A device as in claim 1 in which said strike body has a pair of side walls defining a channel in said lip area and said elongated slot in said channel is parallel to said side walls and said slide is laterally confined in said channel by said side walls.

3. A device as in claim 1 in which said chordal wall has a lateral opening therein and said slide includes two superposed legs one of which slides over the lip area of said body and the other of which passes through said lateral opening.

4. A device as in claim 3 in which one of said legs is on one side of said body overlying said lip area, the other of said legs is a threaded member on the other side of said body underlying said lip area, and said bolt engages and clamps said legs on said strike body.

5. A device as in claim 1 in which said slide includes a first leg and a second leg both extending to said end wall and said first leg and said second leg have aligned openings to receive a fastener passing through said slot.

6. A device as in claim 2 in which said channel mergesv with an inclined lip in said lip area and said fastener engages one end of said slot to limit movement of said slide in said channel toward said lip.

7. A strike body for use with a settable strike mechanism comprising a `formed sheet defining an outer face and defining a recessed pocket opening onto said outer face, said pocket being in part defined by a chordal Wall merging with said outer face, and means defining a relatively wide lateral opening extending through said chordal wall portion of said sheet near said outer face and merging with a relatively narrow elongated slot extending through said-outer face portion of said sheet.

8'."A strike body as in claim 7 in which said formed sheet is provided with a pair of walls deiining a channel depressed from said outer face and extending substantially to said opening in said chordal wall.

9. A settable strike mechanism comprising a body defining aan outer face and defining a recessed pocket opening onto said outer -face, said pocket being in part defined by a chordal wall merging with said outer face, means defininga lateral opening through said chordal wall, a slide having one portion overlying said outer face and having another portion extending through said lateral opening and.underlying said outer face, and means on said slide for turging said portions toward each other to grip said body therebetween.

10. A settable strike mechanism as in claim 9 in which said -body has serrations exposed to said slide, and said slide has serrations exposed to said body.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 964,789 7/1910 Kozlowski 292-341.18 1,022,222' 4/ 1912 Augenbraun 292-341.18 2,946-,614 7/1960 Russell 292--341.11 3,287,055 11/1966 Schlage 292--341-18 X 3,392,998 7/1966 Tornoe 292-341.18

FOREIGN PATENTS 355,618 8/ 1931 Great Britain.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

E. I. MCCARTHY, Assistant Examiner. 

